Sampling device



Ag. 27, 1935. B. B. TALBOT Er AL 2,012,836

SAMPLING DEVICE y Filed Feb. 9, 1933 uff J5 Q X i 6 zo .'5 j D .ze ,43; l@

Patented Aug. 27, 1935 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMPLING DEVICE Application February 9, 1933, Serial No. 355,936

7 Claims.

This invention concerns a device for taking l samples from a stream of iiuid material as it is moved thru a pipe line.

In a specific application thereof the invention comprises a device which is especially' suited for sampling -the wax free oil stream produced by dewaxing petroleum oil according to the wellknown centrifuge process to determine the wax content of the stream.

10 It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the character described which is'simple and inexpensive to construct and which affords a convenient and eifective means for taking the desired samples.

In centrifuge dewaxing of petroleum it is cus' tomary to chill the wax-containing oil to precipitate the wax and thereafter to separate the wax from4 the oil by centrifuging. The oil 'and the wax are discharged from the centrifuge machine in separate streams and it has been the practicev including the vsight glasses, become 4frosted and coated with ice and moreover the distance between the sight glasses also tends to obscure the View thru the glasses. It is impossible, therefore in devices of this sort to determine the condition of the oil stream without removing one of the sight glasses and taking a sample of the oil.

This practice results in considerable breakage of the sight glasses and is a rather inconvenient and generally unsatisfactory'procedure.

40 By the use of our invention we are enabled to quickly and simply secure samples of any desired size-of the oil or other liquid passing through the pipe, and careful observation of the character of each sample may immediately be made.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawing forming a lpart thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a sampling device constructed in accordance with` the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line of 2-2 of Fig. 1. j

Fig. 3 is a sectional View showing a portion of the device taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the particular arrangement shown an ordilnary look box has been adapted for use as a samplingV device by removing one of the sight 5 glasses and securing in its place a valve mechanism which will be hereinafter more fully described. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the device comprises a housingA I connecting an inlet pipe 2 and an outlet pipe 3, the housing form- 10 ing an enlarged portion in the passage thru said pipe. The housing I is provided with a pair of opposedcircular openings 4 and 5. In, the modi'- ed look box shown, one of the sight glasses has been removed and a valve mechanism having a 15 disc portion or plate member 'I is secured in the opening 5 in `place of the sight glass which has been removed. The openings 4 and 5 are provided with grooves 8 and 9, adapted to receive the sight glass 6 and the disc portion 1 respectively 20 which are secured in position by means of threaded rings I0 and II adapted to be secured in said openings.

Thel valve mechanism referred to includes a cup--shaped member I2 which preferably. is 25 formed integral with the disc portion l although. it may be integral with the housing I and is po` sitioned in vertical alignment with the inlet pipe 2 so as to receive a stream of liquid passing thru the housing I, and a valved nozzle or conduit I3 30 also integral with the disc portion 1 and projecting outwardly therefrom for withdrawing a portion of the liquid collected in the cup-shaped member I2. Y i

The arrangement is such that the incoming 35 liquid will overiiow the cup I2 and be discharged thru the outlet pipe 3. Sufficient space is provided betweenthe exterior of the cup I2 and the walls of the housing, so that the presence of the cup does not restrict the flow of liquid thru the 40 housing.

VThe cup I2 is preferably of such depth that additional increments of liquid dropping vinto the cup are effective in forcing out of the "cup portions of the liquid contained "therein so thatv 4,5 the body of liquid remaining inthe cupis at all` times representativeA of the stream passing thru the housing I. The depth of the cup is preferably suiiicient to prevent excessive splashing andat thesame time a substantial amount of liquid 50 -may be retained therein, a part of which may be wlthdrawn thru the valved nozzle I3.

The sides of the cup I2 are preferably curved at the bottom as shown in Fig.' 3 so that there are no corners for the accumulation of stagnant 55 portions of liquid or ,ice or sediment which might tendto foul`thesample as well as to make cleaning of the devicenecessary. In the arrangement shown, theliquid contained in the cup may be continuously forced out by the ow of incoming liquid.

The interior wall of the housing I, preferably isof such shape as [to facilitate they draining of liquid from the housing and to avoid the accumulation of liquid or ice or sediment therein. As shown, the interior wall of the housing is circular in shape 4and adapted to be washed clean by the stream of liquid passing thru the housing.

'Ihe nozzle I3 preferably projects downwardly from the disc portion I at an angle of about 45 and has an opening into the cup f2 at a pointl just `below the top rim thereof. The nozzle is adapted to be closed by'means of a valve Il having a tapered seat I5 in the nozzle. The valve I4 is secured to a hollow stem I 6 which slides in. the nozzle I3 to seat and unseat the valve Il.A Openings or ports I'I which may be oppositely disposed are providedin the hollow stem I6 at a point near the valve I 4 so that liquid withdrawn from the cup I2 may be conducted thru the hollow stem.

A collar I8 may be secured to the projecting end of the hollow stem I6 and a spring I9 may be arranged to cooperate with the collar and with a washer 20 to force the stem downward so as to Lkeep the valve I4 in a normally yseated position. A packing ring ZI'may be provided to prevent leakage between the nozzle I3 and the hollow stem I6.,

The nozzle tI3 and the associated hollow stem I6 project downwardly in a straight line so that the flow of liquid thru the nozzle and the stem. 'isffree and unobstructed. Accordingly the porii stem I6 thereby'. avoided.

In taking a sample by use of the sampling device described a samplingfbottle or other receptacle may be positioned at the outer end of the hollow stem I6 so as to.V receive the liquidl mate-N rial discharged therefrom and the Stem I8 which is slidable in the nozzle I3 maybe pushed upward and inward against the resistance of the spring I9 to unseat the valve Il and allow a portion of the liquid collected in the cup I 2 v)to be withdrawn.

It will be apparent that should the supply of liquid tothe sampling device'be'cut of! .by reasonL of plugging of the associated apparatus or for other cause the level of the liquid in the'cupI2 will be lowered Aas a portion of it is withdrawn thru the nozzle I3 until liquid will ceaseto iiow 'thru lthe nozzle when the valve Il is unseated and it may thus be determined that there n o stream of liquid moving thru the device.

It is contemplated that in the particular application of thedevice where it is used for sampling .g cold oil, the device may be operated for' long' lperiods of time before the cup I 2 becomes choked up with ice to such extent that cleaning is necessary.' The actionI of the stem I6 in unseating the valve I4 is'such that anyV ice collecting in the upper portion of the cup I2 maybe-broken away by thrusting the valve I4 thru the ie. l

One form of the invention has lbeenV described f comprising a modification of an ordinary look box in which one of the sight glasses has been removed' by simply unscrewing the threaded ring I I and in which the sight glass has been replaced by the valve mechanism shown, the valve mech-r anism'having the disc portion 1 adapted to be inserted in the groove 9 and clamped therein by ythe threaded ring I I.`

Obviously many modications and variations .of the invention, as herein set forth, may be made without departing from the splritaand scope thereof, and therefore, only such limitations should be imposed asl are indicated in the apj pended claims. l J

We claim: j

1.-.A device for sampling a stream of liquid moving throughv a pipe line comprising a housing interposed in the pipe line, an open cup ixed- .ly positioned within the housing with the plane for periodically gravitating liquid from the cup and a valve mechanism for controlling the gravitation of liquid therefrom. l

2. A device for sampling a stream of liquid l movingthrough a pipe line .comprisingl a housing interposed in the pipe line, an open cup xedly t'.

positioned within the housing with the plane of its opening substantially at right angles to,'and

directed against, the line of liquid flow and adapted to hold a continuously changing sample. of liquid, a conduit communicating with the cup and projecting through the wall of the housing for gravitating liquid from the cup, a valve in the end of th'e conduit adjacent the cup for controlling the gravitation of liquid and a hollow cylindrical valve' stem 4slidably positioned within the conduit for actuating the valve from without.

3. A- device for sampling avstream of liquid moving through a pipe line comprising a housing interposed in the pipe line, an open cup fixedly positioned within the housing-with theplane of its opening substantially at right angles to, and directed against, the line of. liquid iiow and adapted to hold-a continuously changing sample of liquid, a conduit communicating with the cup and projecting through the wall of the housing lio for periodically gravitating liquid from the cup,

a valve in the end of the conduit adjacent the cup for controlling thegravitation of liquid, a hollow cylindrical valve stem slidably positioned within the conduit, and spring means cooperat-v ing therewith for maintaining. the valve norrnallyina` closed position.

4. A device for sampling a stream of liquid moving'through a pipeline comprising a housing interposed inthe pipe line, an open cup xedly of liquid, a'conduit communicating with the cup positionedwithin the housing with the plane of its opening substantially atright angles to, and vdirected against, the une of liquid npw and `adapted to hold a continuously changing sample yand projecting through the wall of the housing for gravitating liquid from the cup, a valve in the end of the conduit adjacent the cup for con-l trolling the .gravitation of liquid, a hollow cy- 'lindrical valvestem having inlet ports adjacent to the inner en'd thereof slidably positioned withinthe conduit, and spring means cooperating therewith for'maintaining the valve normally in a lclosed position. V

5. Adevice for sampling a'streamof liquid moving through a pipe line icomprising a housaoiasss with the cup and projecting through the plate for gravitating liquid from the cup and a valve mechanism for controlling the gravitation of liquid therefrom. l

.6. A device for sampling a. stream of liquid moving through a pipe line conprising a housing interposed in the pipe line, said housing having an opening therein, a plate adapted to close said opening, an open cup integral with the plate and adapted to be positioned within the housing with:

the plane of its opening substantially at right angles to, and directed against, the line of liquid flow and adapted to receive a representative sample of liquid, a conduit communicating with the cup and projecting through the plate for gravitating liquid from the cup and a valve in the end of the conduit adjacent the cup for controlling the gravitation of liquid, a hollow cylindrical valve stem slidably mounted Within the conduit and having inlet ports adjacent to the inner end thereof, and spring means cooperating with the valve stem for maintaining the valve normally in a closed position.

7. The combination with 'a look box containing one or more transparent windows for observing the ilow of uid through the look`box, of a device for sampling the stream of fluid passing through the look box comprising a platelike member adapted to replace one of the transparent members in the look box, an open cup positioned within the look box with the plane of its opening substantially at right angles to, and directed against, the line of uid ow and adapted to receive a representative sample of iiuid, aI conduit communicating with the cup and projecting through the plate-like member for gravitating fluid from the cup and a valve mechanism for controlling the gravitation of iiuid comprising a valve in thel end ofthe conduit adjacent to the cup, a hollow cylindrical valve stem having inlet ports adjacent to the inner end thereof, said valve stem being slidably positioned within the conduit and spring means cooperating therewith for maintaining the valve normally in a closed position.y

' BRYAN B. TALBOT.

FRANK M. DAWSON. EZRA H. CARN'EY. g GARLAND A. RATCLIFF. 

